Can-washing machinery.



E. F. RASSMAN.

CAN WASHING MACHINERY. APPLI CATION FILED SEPT. 30. l9l6.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

1 can tops as for '45 ERNEST r. RASSMAN, or CHAIRLOTTESVILLE, v'momml CAN-WASHING AcnmEnY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application file'd SeptemberSO, 1916. seriaiito. 123,054.

To all whom it may cor i iar ru 7 Be it known that I, ERNns'r F. RAssMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Charlottesville, in the county of Albemarle, and in the State of Virginia have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Can-Washing Machinery, and do hereby clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to can washing machinery, and more particularly has to do with the operation of sterilizing-cleansing of milk can tops, and generally stated the object of my invention has been to produce an apparatus which will be as automatic mits operation asis possible, so that a minimum ofmanual efi'ort, time and labor will berequired, which shall be extremely simple, so as to avoid heavy first cost in constructing it and repairs, and which withal' can be depended upon to efficiently do the work required, and with this object in view my invention consists in the apparatus constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed. I v y In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof;'Fig. '2 is an end.

elevation.

Briefly described, the apparatus shown j the drawings comprises a trackalong which the can tops placed onedge roll, a series of steam nozzles, or jets being situated alongside the path down and valve mechanism which is automatically opened and held 'open by the action of the zles, or jets. the can tops, and they then require no until they haveleft the track.

The track consists preferably of an angle iron 10 with its two webs, or flanges'diverging one after another, in the track both sides of the'edge of resting thereon, there are two parallel" bars, or-rails 111between which the upper top is situated, and it is thereby maintained in the upright pos'tion necessary to its rollthe can tops ing along'the track. Saidtrack and said guide rods are supported in an inclined position by a framework '12 consisting of up rights, 1

has intermediate its ends avertically movable section 13 which at its lower-' 14:, so that said declare that the following is a full,

' hold the movable section in alinement with which the can tops roll,

they ,roll past the series of noz- The workman simply places further handling desirable sterilizing treatment. When there are no\can tops'onthe movable spring 16 act's'to lift the rod 15, and close upward so as to form lateral supports and above said angle irons portion oftlie can,

or posts andhorizontal members. a The track most end is connected by a pivot, or hinge 7 section iscapable of up and down movement, and at 1ts higher end it is pivotally connected to a vertical rod 15 upon which is a coiled spring 16 that at its upper end bears against a col ar 17 on the rod, and at its lower end against a plate 170 on the PateritdJan. 9, 191a.

frame work, which spring normally acts to the stationary sections at each end thereof. The spring has such tension that it yields under the weight of a can top upon the mov-' able section. A lug 18 on the higher end of the hinge section on the underside arrests lower end of the upper, or higher stationary;

the spring-engaging collar 17.

Adjacent the side of the can tops as they roll along the hinged section ofthe track, is

apipe serles of holes 22 whlch form jets, or nozzles,

21 having in its side toward'the can a and said jet pipe is connected by--a -pipe 23 with a source of supply of steam. The pipe 23 has a valve 2 41 for controlling the flow of steam to the jet nozzles, and the handle 25 of said valve is connected to the rod 15 so that upon the depression of the rod by the downward movement'of the hinged section of the track the valve will be opened and kept open as long as the can top remains on said movable section, so that throughout the the time of its travel along, the latter it receives the steam jets,'and is subjected to thesection, the

the valve. I

the edge of undenthe action of gravity they can move down the track and automatically cause the turning on .and oil of the steam, butflittle, the work is done with great rapidity and ity is done thoroughly because of the length,-or" extent of the series past which the can tops travel. I

I The operationfof the and described, h'asgI believe, been sufliciently Downward movevertically adjustable collar 19 apparatus shown section of the track, whichstop collar 'is' adaptedto be engaged by a projection from i the manual labor involved is f ie set forth and it will be evident that such apparatus attains the object of my invention as hereinbefore set forth.

While I prefer, as an excellent embodiment of my invention, apparatus having the construction and organization of elements as illustrated in the drawings, it is to be understood variations from that construction within the scope of the appended claims may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The various arts of the apparatus are not shown in the rawings in strict proportion, or relative arrangement, as departures exist in these particulars for the sake of clearness of illustration.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is- 1. In a machine of the-class described, the combinationof a track along which'the can part is adapted to move, a section of said track being movable into and out of alinement with the remainder a pipe having an outlet adjacent said movable section, a valve in said pipe, and a connection between said .valve and said movable section for transmitting movement from the latter to the valve to operate it. a

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an inclined track along which the can part is adapted to move, a section of said track being movable into and out of alinement pipe having an outlet adjacent said movable with the remainder, a.

section, a valve in said pipe, and a connection between said valve and said movable section for transmitting movement from the latter to the valve to operate it.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a track having upwardly extendingseparated guide flanges, a pair of guide ra'ils spaced apart above said track along which the can part is adapted to move, a section of said track being movable into and out of alinement with the remaindef, a pipe aving an outlet adjacent said movable section, a valve in said pipe, and a' connection between said valve and said movable section for transmitting movement from the latter to the valve to operate it.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a track having upwardly extending separated guide flanges, a pair of guide rails spaced apart above said track along which the can part is adapted 'tomove, said track having a jointed section upon which said section is adapted to swing, a pipe having a series of nozzles extending alongside of. the swinging section of the track, a valve in said pipe, a rod connecting said section and the valve to operate the latter, and a spring acting normally to move sald swlnging sect on into alinement with the remainder of the track. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST F. RASSMAN. 

